Bernie Williams honor at Yankee Stadium

Bernie Williams Honored at Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 25- The most successful franchise in baseball history, the New York Yankees, have always shown a great interest in honoring its heroes and its storied past. The number of monuments and plaques has grown greatly over the years.

During the 2014 season, four plaques were added to Monument Park to honor Joe Torre, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, and Rich “Goose” Gossage. Four more greats of Yankee history will be honored during the current season.

The first, Bernie Williams, was honored on Sunday night prior to the New York-Texas Rangers contest. Since Williams has not played in the last nine years, this honor was considered by many to be long overdue.

Many blamed the organization for ignoring Williams while paying to others whose ties with the Yankees are of much shorter duration and of much less importance. On the field and in the press conference room to reporters, Williams took the full responsibility for the delay for this long-awaited occasion, “The organization has been on me for years to have this day. I wanted to make sure I would not come back.”

Williams did not officially sign his retirement papers from baseball until one month before this ceremony. He explained the difficulty in reaching this decision, “The process was physically and psychologically. Your abilities diminish. You realize you can’t do it anymore. I found something [music] that I could devote my time to.” He admitted, “I really misjudged the sentiment of the fans and of my own. I really needed to have closure to this aspect of my life.”

The ceremony was moving to the large crowd who came to cheer Williams. A contingent of Former Yankees joined Williams on the field, the Core 4 (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte) reunited for the first time this season at Yankee Stadium. Pettitte and Posada will be honored in August. Also were present were Gene “Stick” Michael, Roy White, Willie Randolph, David Cone, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, and Joe Torre.

Also present on the field were members of Williams’ immediate family, his mother, brother and children. Williams 

remarked in his speech, “I know my father is watching in heaven.”

A Congressional Certificate of Appreciation presented by Rep. Jose Serrano, who represents the district in which Yankee Stadium is situated, was read. Gifts were presented by the Yankees. Highlights of Williams’ 16 years in pinstripes were shown on the center field screen.

Yankee broadcasters John Sterling and Michael Kay did an outstanding job in emceeing the program. Williams thanked deservedly Debbie Tymon and Greg  King for their efforts in organizing the program. The Yankees Marketing Department headed by Tymon makes a superlative effort in planning And organizing special events unlike that of any sports organization.

Williams gave thanks to those who benefitted him in his career and in his life in his closing remarks, “You guys have been instrumental in my career. I am overwhelmed."

#Yankees #BernieWiliiams 

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Highbridge News: Fordham Grad Schools Yanks

Highbridge News: Fordham Grad Schools Yanks: Fordham Grad Schools Yanks Martinez got Groomed in Bronx By Rich Mancuso Nick Martinez the Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher has gro...

Fordham Grad Schools Yanks

Fordham Grad Schools Yanks
Martinez got Groomed in Bronx

By Rich Mancuso

Nick Martinez the Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher has grown up. In baseball standards that means throwing the fastball with location and attacking hitters early in ther count. An infielder at Fordham University in the Bronx, the Miami Florida resident, with a Cuban background had that potential to throw off the mound when he got five relief appearance opportunities for the Atlantic-10 Conference Rams in 2011.

Then something happened. He converted to a pitcher after being selected by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round of the amateur draft in 2011 after being asked to give it a try.

And now in his second year as a big league starter, Martinez is rapidly developing a reputation as a starter to be reckoned with.

That continued Saturday afternoon in the Bronx. Martinez took control early and handled a struggling New York Yankees lineup through 7.0 innings, good enough to stay perfect at 4-0. It helped that his Rangers team  dominated New York at the plate, banging out 15-hits en route to an easy 15-4 win. He gave up five hits throwing a career-high 108 pitches, and except for two home run balls, has now allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts.

Yes, Martinez has grown up. The Texas Rangers feel they have a future ace and in baseball, as it happens more than once, the unexpected seems to always happen. Except Martinez is maturing each and every time he takes the mound, and with the Rangers offense starting to get on track, Martinez is also gaining more confidence.

“It’s nice, I don’t know what to say,” said Martinez about the early run support and the big lead. He said that with a smile that could have extended from the visitor’s clubhouse at Yankee Stadium to the Fordham Rose Hill campus, which is three miles from the Stadium.

“I will take it every time. Great when guys are swinging the bat that way. I could hear my buddies out there cheering for me. It's almost like a homecoming for me."

Though this was his second time on the mound at Yankee Stadium for the Rangers, so there was more of a familiarity with the dimensions of the ballpark and some in the Yankees lineup.

Last August he got a start in the Bronx and pitched five innings, striking out five, and did not figure in the decision. Then he left a bunch of tickets for friends and he had another enthusiastic core of fans from Fordham cheering him on every pitch.

Sunday morning, prior to leaving the ballpark for the series finale, Martinez was planning to visit the baseball team at Rose Hill and give them some support.

“Coming back to the Bronx, hearing my buddies cheering….I spent three or four important years of my life here,” said Martinez. “It’s special for me to pitch here. Always will have a special place in my heart.”

With the exception of two walks in the first inning, to Brett Gardner and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees did not get their first of five hits off Martinez until the fourth inning when Rodriguez got on base with an infield single, and two more hits came off home runs.

Carlos Beltran extended his hitting streak to a season-high 13 games with a sixth inning solo shot to right on a 0-1 fastball. And Didi Gregorius homered in consecutive games for the second time in his career in the seventh inning, with one-out to right on another fastball.

“Growing up right in front of our eyes," is how Rangers’ manager manager Jeff Banister described the composure and maturity of Martinez, wh0 at 24-years of age can only get better.

Banister added, "Nick's been a guy that's been in complete control. His composure on the mound has been spectacular really. He has not shown any anxiety anywhere, no nervousness." And that showed after that first inning when Martinez got into a groove and he certainly did not let the home balls get to him.

If it were not for the career-high pitch count, Martinez may have went another inning or two. He added about that first inning, “I wasn’t locked in and after that went in on the attack.”

On the home run to Beltran, Martinez said, “He’s a great hitter. He hasn’t been in this game by a mistake. Thought I could beat him inside, he beat me.” But Martinez did get a win over the Yankees for the first time in three career starts and despite the 4-0 record, he is the first to admit there is more to learn.

“I don’t look at it too much,” he said about the record. “Just go out and help my team win. I just try to come to the ballpark everyday with the mentality to continue to learn. Knowing that, going to the ballpark to learn and better myself, it helps. I’m capable, not surprised. If I keep working hard I will be alright.”

Those are the words of a confident pitcher and a good hitter in the Rangers’ lineup, Elvis Andrus has also noticed how Martinez has matured and grown in his last few starts.

“He knows how to throw that fastball and attack early,” Andrus said. “It was nice to give him early run support.” Andrus went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs as the Rangers had a season high in runs for a game and their largest win of the season.

They feel confident at the plate. More so, there is that confidence that Martinez on the mound gives them a better chance for a win. Perhaps those days on the Fordham campus, and those few times on the mound were meant to be for Martinez, who has also been getting some good pointers from Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, brother of Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux.

Says Banister, “He can read hitters well.” And as long as Martinez continues to do that, the Rangers will be very content that they stumbled upon an unexpected pitcher who has grown to be a good one.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso  Twitter@Ring786

#Yankees #NickMartinez #TexasRangers

Highbridge News: Teen Gunned Down Near School

Highbridge News: Teen Gunned Down Near School: Teen Gunned Down Near School (Facebook photos) BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 22- Anguish filled the Grand Concourse after a teenager...

Teen Gunned Down Near School

Teen Gunned Down Near School

(Facebook photos)

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 22- Anguish filled the Grand Concourse after a teenager was gunned down near a school. Cops say an argument led to the teen being shot repeatedly.

As school was getting underway at PS 90, a block away a teen was being gunned down on the street. At around 8:30 a.m., the teen was shot multiple times in front of 1174 Sheridan Avenue. Published reports have identified the victim as 14-year-old Christopher Duran.

Duran was pronounced dead at the scene. Cops say the victim suffered three gunshot wounds to the abdomen and one gunshot wound to the head.

Police say the victim had gotten into an argument with at least two boys. The area was designated an Impact Zone where additional police officers were assigned to handle the uptick in violence.

#NYPD #Shooting #Teen #ChristopherDuran #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Heroin Bust was No Surprise to Neighbors

Highbridge News: Heroin Bust was No Surprise to Neighbors: Heroin Bust was No Surprise to Neighbors  By Robert Press B RONX, NEW YORK, MAY 21 - It appears to be the largest drug bus...

Heroin Bust was No Surprise to Neighbors

Heroin Bust was No Surprise to Neighbors 

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 21- It appears to be the largest drug bust in New York State history as Federal DEA agents arrested two people who lived in a 5th floor, three-bedroom apartment located at 210 West 251st Street. The building is called the Deauville, and the apartments are still rental apartments. 

Jose Mercedes and Yenci Cruz were identified as the two people arrested by the DEA, who said that 70 Kilos of heroin, $2 Million dollars in cash, 

and a gun were confiscated from the apartment and two vehicles that were used to transport the drugs. The heroin seized was estimated to have a street value of over $50 Million dollars. 

Local residents including the owner of a building across the street from the Deauville said this has been going on for years, and wants to know why this was not stopped long ago. One woman said that the community is going downhill, while one man said that the Deauville is full of Section 8 tenants who do not care about the neighborhood. Another said that loud music comes from the nearby Van Cortlandt Park area at night, while cars park at hydrants and double park while the local police department does nothing when residents call and complain.

#NYPD #HeroinBust #DEA #Riverdale